Let’s talk about Glass

It’s the last month of the ‘Sottsass: the Glass’ exposition at Le Stanze Del Vetro in Venice. Time for one last reminder, we thought, since it isa unique chance to view glass artworks by Sottsass up-close, many that have never been exhibited before.

The diverse body of work that Sottsass created from the 1940’s onwards, is consistent and connected through a central idea that opposes rationalist architecture (known to value function over form); instead Sottsass’ work is built on the notion that functional objects can communicate an abstract idea. ‘He was interested in uncertainty, inconclusion, sensuality, melancholy and pleasure’, as Rowan Moore mentioned in an article on the Guardian.

Glass artworks by Sottsass fit this description perfectly. The experimental use of different materials such as glass, plastic and polycarbonates is by no means rational or functional, and contradicts a modernist design philosophy. For us, (mid-century) modernist design fanatics, Sottsass is still an impressive and intriguing counter-force.

For those who can’t make it to Venice: there is a wonderful publication about the glass-artworks by Sottsass, as seen inthe images below.